A man who chooses the Jesus script is…
A man who ends each day with a clear conscience.
What’s your typical process at the end of the day? Do you replay the day’s events in your mind? Do you wonder if you should have made that comment? Do you write scripts of the things you should have done? Does your mind drift to all you must do tomorrow?
Reading through the Gospels, you’ll notice that Jesus frequently withdrew from others to pray. Jesus, who was God in the flesh, spent time alone with God, his Father. Jesus was human. He grew tired at the end of a long day. People continually needed him, and plans had to be made each day. So he frequently retreated to pray. He also gave us a plan to follow.
Matthew records how Jesus taught us how to pray:
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
—Matthew 6:5–15
Jesus wasn’t prescribing the exact words we must follow, but he was describing a posture and approach to apply when we pray. To begin, he said we can address God in a relational and personal way—as our Father. He taught us to pause and recognize that we are addressing a holy God who is infinite and intimate. He then said we must relinquish our plans to God’s plans. We are to surrender our will, not impose it. He tells us that we can then present our requests to God for our daily needs. We are to confess our sins, asking for his forgiveness. As forgiven people, we are to take the opportunity to forgive others and not carry with us any bitterness. Finally, he guides us to pray that God would help us clearly see temptation coming and have the strength to avoid it. In this descriptive prayer, Jesus instructs us to first honor God for who he is and then ask him for direction, provision, forgiveness, and protection.
What would it look like if you changed your script at the end of each day? Jesus modeled the importance of praying and spending time with God the Father, making it a discipline or practice in our lives. By following his example and teaching, we can be men who end each day with a clear conscience between us and God and everybody around us.
